Saturday, 19 April 2014

It’s not just that then NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell denied in evidence before the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) that he had received a bottle of Penfold’s Grange wine worth almost $3,000 from Nick Di Girolamo on 20 April 2011, nor his failure to declare this gift on his member’s disclosure declaration, that caused him to resign.

The situation is more complex than thatand, much of it centers around his friendship with Liberal Party fundraiser and lobbyist Nick Di Girolamopossibly intruding into his decision making in an official capacity.

In 2009 Australia Water Holdings Pty Ltd (AWH) donated $14,350 to the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division), in 2010 donations totalled $26,100.00 to the NSW Division and in 2010-11 it donated $61,603 in thirteen different parcels, according to disclosures lodged with the NSW Electoral Funding Authority.

Along the way the company also managed to spend $1,350 fundraising for an unspecified political campaign team.

In 2010-11 AWH also donated $2,200 to the Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch) and $10,000 to the National Party of Australia (NSW).

On 6 June 2007 Nick and
Jodie Di Girolamo made a personal donation to the “Liberal Party”
of $2,500 and on 30 September 2010 Nick Di Girolamo made a personal donation to
the “NSW Liberal
Party” of $1,833.

In 2011 Australian Water Holdings contracted Liberal Party power broker Michael Photios, who was then acting as a government relations consultant, to supply advice to then CEO Nick Di Girolamo and lobby the O’Farrell Government on the company’s behalf for a fee of $5,000 per month.

On 17 March 2014 it was reported that the Liberal Party of Australia intended to return to Sydney Water the $75,636 in AWH political donations which had been improperly billed to the state-owned water corporation as AWH administration fees.

However, according to Fairfax Media Premier Baird and former Premier O'Farrell also have a wider history with regard to political donations and board appointments:

In July [2012], Mr Massy-Greene was appointed chairman of Networks NSW, which will
manage the state-owned electricity networks, Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and
Essential Energy, when they are merged into a single entity.

No executive search was undertaken
before the appointment, which was confirmed by Mr Baird in a press release on
July 2.

According to NSW Election Funding
Authority records, Eureka Capital Partners donated $10,000 to Mr Baird in March
2007 and $5000 in March last year, shortly before the state election.

As chairman of Networks NSW, Mr
Massy-Greene reports directly to Mr Baird and the Finance and Services
Minister, Greg Pearce.

The Treasurer told the hearing he had
known Mr Massy-Greene "through the years as someone ... through
business".

Challenged by Labor MPs about whether
the appointment was appropriate, given the donations, Mr Baird insisted it was
made by the Premier, Barry O'Farrell.

"It's a Premier's decision, he
made the decision," Mr Baird said. "We are appointing people on the
basis of their merits."

ICAC is yet to hear evidence in the second investigation concerning allegations that between April 2009 and April 2012, former Liberal NSW Minister for Resources and Energy Christopher Hartcher and Liberal MPs Darren Webber and Christopher Spence, along with others including Timothy Koelma and Raymond Carter, corruptly solicited, received, and concealed payments from various sources in return for certain members of parliament favouring the interests of those responsible for the payments.

It is possible that a number of Liberal Party MPs and perhaps Liberal Senator Arthur Sinodinos may be called as witnesses during this investigation.

Mr. O’Farrell led a government that is likely to be judged as corrupton a number of fronts by New South Wales voters whatever the final ICAC report concludes – in the meantime that bottle of wine has allowed him to escape the full glare of future media scrutiny while the political secrets still work their way into the light during Operation Spicer hearings.

NOTE: This post will be updated in the text whenever new information becomes known.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
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NSW North Coast

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Moggy Musings

Hi! My name is Boy. I'm a male bi-coloured tabby cat. Ever since I discovered that Malcolm Turnbull's dogs were allowed to blog, I have been pestering Clarencegirl to allow me a small space on North Coast Voices.

A false flag musing: I have noticed one particular voice on Facebook which is Pollyanna-positive on the subject of the Port of Yamba becoming a designated cruise ship destination. What this gentleman doesn’t disclose is that, as a principal of Middle Star Pty Ltd, he could be thought to have a potential pecuniary interest due to the fact that this corporation (which has had an office in Grafton since 2012) provides consultancy services and tourismbusiness development services.

A religion & local government musing: On 11 October 2017 Clarence Valley Council has the Church of Jesus Christ Development Fund Inc in Sutherland Local Court No. 6 for a small claims hearing. It would appear that there may be a little issue in rendering unto Caesar. On 19 September 2017 an ordained minister of a religion (which was named by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in relation to 40 instances of historical child sexual abuse on the NSW North Coast) read the Opening Prayer at Council’s ordinary monthly meeting. Earlier in the year an ordained minister (from a church network alleged to have supported an overseas orphanage closed because of child abuse claims in 2013) read the Opening Prayer and an ordained minister (belonging to yet another church network accused of ignoring child sexual abuse in the US and racism in South Africa) read the Opening Prayer at yet another ordinary monthly meeting. Nice one councillors - you are covering yourselves with glory!

An investigative musing: Newcastle Herald, 12 August 2017: The state’s corruption watchdog has been asked to investigate the finances of the Awabakal Aboriginal Local Land Council, less than 12 months after the troubled organisation was placed into administration by the state government. The Newcastle Herald understands accounting firm PKF Lawler made the decision to refer the land council to the Independent Commission Against Corruption after discovering a number of irregularities during an audit of its financial statements.The results of the audit were recently presented to a meeting of Awabakal members. Administrator Terry Lawler did not respond when contacted by the Herald and a PKF Lawler spokesperson said it was unable to comment on the matter. Given the intricate web of company relationships that existed with at least one former board member it is not outside the realms of possibility that, if ICAC accepts this referral, then United Land Councils Limited (registered New Zealand) and United First Peoples Syndications Pty Ltd(registered Australia) might be interviewed. North Coast Voices readers will remember that on 15 August 2015 representatives of these two companied gave evidence before NSW Legislative Council General Purpose Standing Committee No. 6 INQUIRY INTO CROWN LAND. This evidence included advocating for a Yamba mega port.

A Nationals musing: Word around the traps is that NSW Nats MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis has been talking up the notion of cruise ships visiting the Clarence River estuary. Fair dinkum! That man can be guaranteed to run with any bad idea put to him. I'm sure one or more cruise ships moored in the main navigation channel on a regular basis for one, two or three days is something other regular river users will really welcome. *pause for appreciation of irony* The draft of the smallest of the smaller cruise vessels is 3 metres and it would only stay safely afloat in that channel. Even the Yamba-Iluka ferry has been known to get momentarily stuck in silt/sand from time to time in Yamba Bay and even a very small cruise ship wouldn't be able to safely enter and exit Iluka Bay. You can bet your bottom dollar operators of cruise lines would soon be calling for dredging at the approach to the river mouth - and you know how well that goes down with the local residents.

A local councils musing: Which Northern Rivers council is on a low-key NSW Office of Local Government watch list courtesy of feet dragging by a past general manager?

A serial pest musing: I'm sure the Clarence Valley was thrilled to find that a well-known fantasist is active once again in the wee small hours of the morning treading a well-worn path of accusations involving police, local business owners and others.

An investigative musing: Which NSW North Coast council is batting to have the longest running code of conduct complaint investigation on record?

A which bank? musing: Despite a net profit last year of $9,227 million the Commonwealth Bank still insists on paying below Centrelink deeming rates interest on money held in Pensioner Security Accounts. One local wag says he’s waiting for the first bill from the bank charging him for the privilege of keeping his pension dollars at that bank.

A Daily Examiner musing: Just when you thought this newspaper could sink no lower under News Corp management, it continues to give column space to Andrew Bolt.

A thought to ponder musing: In case of bushfire or flood - do you have an emergency evacuation plan for the family pet?

An adoption musing: Every week on the NSW North Coast a number of cats and dogs find themselves without a home. If you want to do your bit and give one bundle of joy a new family, contact Happy Paws on 0419 404 766 or your local council pound.